Reel tension and paster mechanism



Nov. 16, 1965 J. J. M DONALD REEL TENS ION AND FASTER MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 11, 1963 ATTORNIY Nov. 16, 1965 Filed Feb. 11, 1965 J- J- M DONALD REEL TENSION AND FASTER MECHANISM 5 Sheets-$heet 2 INVENTOR.

J/nv .f. Mafia/W440 A TTORNEYS Nov. 16, 1965 J. J. M DONALD 3,

REEL TENSION AND FASTER MECHANISM Filed Feb. 11, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. 1 5 J. MC DOA/4A0 United States Patent York Filed Feb. 11, 1963, Ser. No. 257,718 4 Claims. (Cl. 242--58.3)

This invention relates to reel tension and paster mechanism.

More particularly, the invention is concerned with web supply mechanism of a type generally in common use, and in which paper rolls are carried on the arms of a rotatable reel which supports a roll in running position and also in position preparatory to splicing toa running web, and in which the paper roll is brought up to speed and tensioned during the running of the web by peripheral driven belts, and the expiring stub of a roll is controlled by means of brakes operating on the core of the roll.

Such mechanism is shown, for example, in prior Bennett Patent 2,617,610, Wieking Patent 2,344,952 and Willis Patent 2,682,027.

In such mechanisms, as a rule when running position approaches exhaustion, the reel is rotated to bring a new roll up into speed-up relation to the belts, the tension of the expiring stub being generally controlled by manual application of core braking mechanism and the splicing operation being then initiated. It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved mechanism for controlling web tension in the expiring web by means of an electro-magnetic D.C. core brake.

It is a further object of the invention to provide improved means for varying the voltage so as to vary the braking torque, utilizing for this purpose a motorized variable volt-age transformer and rectifying the output thereof for supplying DC. current to the core brake, the voltage being controllable in steps and in accordance with the operation of limit switches associated with the floating roller.

The braking system of the invention is adapted to automatic operation, including both the automatic determination of the running roll diameter at which reel rotation is initiated and also the stub diameter at which the web splicing and severing mechanism is actuated.

In the preferred arrangement according to the invention, the rotary speed of the roll in running position and also in expiring position is gauged by means of a tachometer producing a signal proportional to the rotary speed which signal is compared with a signal proportional to press speed, and hence to Web speed, and the reel rotation and splicing operation are successively initiated in accordance with a comparison of this tachometer signal with the press speed reference signal. The initiation of the reel rotation is accompanied by the application of braking force to the expiring roll for maintaining automatically the pre-existing tension in the web thereof.

Mechanism embodying the invention in a preferred form will now first be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, and the features forming the invention will then be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are schematic end elevations of reel tension and paster mechanism embodying the invention in a preferred form;

FIG. 3 is a detail section of the core braking mechanism;

FIG. 3-A is a detail fragmentary view in the direction of the arrows 3-A of FIG. 3 and showing brake disc elements;

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a three arm reel or spider 1 rotatably carried on a shaft 2, by means of the usual standards or frames (not shown), carries a roll A in normal nunning position, a roll B in preparation position and a roll C in loading position. The web roll which may be initially about forty inches in diameter supplies the web W to the press (not shown) at a speed up to about twentyfive hundred feet per minute, the paper on a roll being consumed in about fifteen minutes. During the feeding of the web from the roll A in web feeding position, the tension is controlled by belts 4 driven at substantially web speed and passing round pulleys 5 in fixed position and a movable pulley 6 by means of which the wrap end and tension controlling effect of the belts may be adjusted for maintaining uniform tension in the web. Floating roller 7 engages a loop in the web and rises and falls with increase and decrease of tension, serving through the usual control circuits to control the action of the belts 4 so as to maintain desired tension in the web W.

Each pair of arms of the reel or spider 1 carries a braking mechanism indicated generally at T in FIGS. 1 and 2, the respective braking mechanisms being connected to commutator segments covering of arc, which segments are energized through brushes LC2 and LC-3.

When the running roll (roll A in FIG. 1 has been reduced to a predetermined diameter (typically, about ten inches), tachometer T associated therewith (FIG. 3) produces a signal initiating the reel rotation from the position of FIG. 1 to FIG 2.

The position of FIG. 2 is essentially the same position as that of FIG. 1, with the exception that the new roll B is now in the speed-up position and engaged by the belts 4 for that purpose, while roll A has been brought into the expiring position previously occupied by roll which has now moved around to the preparation position previously occupied by roll B. The fioatingroller tension control having been transferred by the circuit as later described (FIG. 4) to the core brake (FIG. 3) of roll A, roll A continues to supply the running web until reduced to a predetermined diameter, as again indicated by its tachometer T, so that when this diameter is reduced to a predetermined point, the brush is utilized (by conventional mechanism, not shown) to bring the running web against the new roll B joining it to the leading edge of the web thereon and the expiring roll is immediately thereafter severed by the knife. The stub diameter of the roll (position of FIG. 2) at which the pasting operation 18 initiated will ordinarily be about 4.5 inches.

The core breaking mechanism preferably takes the form shown in FIG. 3. As there shown, the conical chuck element 20 which engages in the core of the roll is supported in an arm of the reel 1 by means of its shaft 21 and bearing 22 supported in a circular seat 23 formed in the reel arm. The shaft 21 extends through a sealed bearing 24 mounted in a housing plate 25 secured to the arm of the reel 1 as by bolts 26. Plate 25 supports the magnet core 27 containing magnet winding 28, connections 29 which lead to the energizing circuit elements as shown in FIG. 4. Mounted on core 27 are a number of spline ribs 30 engaging in inner slots 31 in the brake disc washer elements 32 between which. are interleaved cooperating brake disc washer elements 33 provided with notches 34 receiving guide tangs 35 which are carried by member 36 mounted on and secured to shaft 21 by means of cam plate 37, bolts 38, 39 and key 40. A second sealed anti-friction bearing 41 surrounds the hub of member 36 and is mounted in housing member 42 which is secured to plate 25 as by bolts 43 and completes the brake housing.

An armature 45 is carried on a hub 46 within the core 27 and is axially movable with respect thereto. Energizing the winding 28 of the magnet core attracts the armature 45, pressing the interleaved brake disc washer elements 32 and 33 together and thus creating a braking torque proportional to the magnet field strength between rotary element 36 and stationary core element 27 and thus applying a regulated braking force to the roll core shaft 21. The housing formed by members 42, 25 is preferably kept about one-quarter full of oil, providing a smooth and regulable braking action between the brake disc washer elements. Cam element 37 previously referred to, is an element of known type utilized for synchronizing the pasting operation with the angular position of the new roll preliminary to splicing. This element and the mechanism controlled thereby form in themselves no part of the present invention and will not be further described herein.

The tachometer T (previously referred to) is mounted to the arm of reel 1 by means of a bracket and is driven by a gear belt or timing belt 51 by means of toothed pulley 52 fixed to the roll core shaft 21 and gear pulley 53 fixed to the shaft of tachometer T.

The core braking mechanism is controlled by means of circuits as indicated schematically in FIG. 4. Power lines L-l and L-2 supply A.C. current to the primary of transformer 60. The output of transformer 60 is regulated by means of a variable transformer 62-63, the movable element 63 of which is moved step by step by a Variac or servo motor, the windings 64 of which are energized through a pulsing mechanism indicated schematically at 61, by switches 65 of the limit switch type and which are actuated by arm 66 moving with the floating roll supporting arm 67. The thus controlled current is supplied through lines 68 to a full wave rectifier, the DC. output from which is supplied to the control for transferring and controlling brakes indicated at 71 and to commutator brushes LC-1, LC-2 and LC-3. The brake windings 28 are connected through lines 72 to brushes engaging the commutator segments and the circuit for each winding is provided with an adjusting resistor 73, for matching the braking action of the three brakes and a capacitor 74 for eliminating arcing during the ring rotation.

The tachometers T for each roll position connect to the reel belt and core brake floating control 75, for initiating the reel rotation and transferring control from the peripheral belts to the core brake as the roll reaches a predetermined diameter (typically, about ten inches) and for initiating the pasting operation as the expiring stub reaches a predetermined diameter (typically, about four and one-half inches). Each pair of commutator segments extends through 120, so as to provide connections to the control mechanism in the running, expiring and preparation positions of a roll.

The distance between switches 65 and angular movement permitted element 66 without actuating either switch, determines the dead zone for the control. A change of tension resulting in a movement of element 66 out of this dead zone in either direction actuates the appropriate motor winding 64 for moving the movable contact element 63 of transformer 62 step by step, so as to vary the voltage applied to a brake core winding 28. As will be apparent, if the tension falls, the continuing movement of arm 63, increasing the voltage applied to the core brake winding 28 will correspondingly increase the tension, until the floating roll returns to its normal position in the dead zone, Movement beyond the dead zone re- 4. verses the operation, thus decreasing the brake voltage. It is found that the system of the present invention provides adequate sensitivity for regulating the tension and without tendency to hunt.

What is claimed is:

1. In a web reel roll changer and tension mechanism for supplying a running web to a printing machine, having a rotary reel spider for supporting a roll in a running position and in an expiring position, web splicing mechanism for joining the web on a new roll to an expiring web, a floating roller operated web tension control, and belts controlled thereby and engaging the roll in running position for tensioning the web: a web roll core tension mechanism comprising electro-magnetic brake means operating on a roll core, the said brake means comprising a core and armature and cooperating braking elements associated therewith for applying braking torque proportional to the energizing current in the core winding, switches operable by the floating roller upon predetermined movement in either direction from a predetermined position corresponding to desired web tension, a variable voltage supply for the said core winding and means controlled by the said switches for operating the said variable voltage supply.

2. In a web reel roll changer and tension mechanism for supplying a running web to a printing machine, having a rotary reel spider for supporting a roll in a running position and in an expiring position, web splicing mechanism for joining the web on a new roll to an expiring web, a floating roller operated web tension control, and belts controlled thereby and engaging the roll in running position for tensioning the web: a web roll core tension mechanism comprising electro-magnetic brake means operating on a roll core, the said brake means comprising a core and armature and cooperating braking elements associated therewith for applying braking torque proportional to the energizing current in the core winding, switches operable by the floating roller upon predetermined movement in either direction from a predetermined position corresponding to desired web tension, a variable voltage supply for the said core winding comprising an intermittent current supply of variable voltage, and means controlled by the said switches for operating the said current supply of variable voltage.

3. In a web reel roll changer and tension mechanism for supplying a running web to a printing machine, having a rotary reel spider for supporting a roll in a running position and in an expiring position, web splicing mechanism for joining the web on a new roll to an expiring web, a floating roller operated web tension control, and belts controlled thereby and engaging the roll in running position for tensioning the web: a web roll core tension mechanism comprising electro-magnetic brake means operating on a roll core, the said brake means comprising a core and armature and cooperating braking elements associated therewith for applying braking torque proportional to the energizing current in the core winding, switches operable by the floating roller upon predetermined movement in either direction from a predetermined position corresponding to desired web tension, at variable voltage supply for the said core winding comprising an intermittent alternating current supply, variable voltage means for regulating the voltage supplied thereby, and means controlled by the said switches for adjusting the said variable voltage means.

4. In a web reel roll changer and tension mechanism for supplying a running web to a printing machine, having a rotary reel spider for supporting a roll in a running position and in an expiring position, web splicing mechanism for joining the web on a new roll to an expiring web, a floating roller operated web tension control, and belts controlled thereby and engaging the roll in running position for tensioning the web: a web roll core tension mechanism comprising electro-magnetic brake means operat.

ing on a roll core, the said brake means comprising a core and armature and cooperating braking elements associated therewith for applying braking torque proportional to the energizing current in the core winding, switches operable by the floating roller upon predetermined movement in either direction from a predetermined position corresponding to desired web tension, a variable voltage supply for the said core Winding comprising an intermittent alternating current supply, variable voltage means for regulating the voltage supplied thereby, means controlled by the said switches for adjusting the said variable voltage means step by step, and a rectifier supplying the thus regulated voltage as direct current to the core winding.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,990,643 2/ 1935 Fankboner 24275 .42 2,983,464 5/1961 Fuller 24275.44 2,995,968 8/1961 Tomberg 24275.44 X 3,116,032 12/ 1963 Roberts 24275.43

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A WEB REEL ROLL CHANGER AND TENSION MECHANISM FOR SUPPLYING A RUNNING WEB TO A PRINTING MACHINE, HAVING A ROTARY REEL SPIDER FOR SUPPORTING A ROLL IN A RUNNING POSITION AND IN AN EXPIRING POSITION, WEB SPLICING MECHANISM FOR JOINING THE WEB ON A NEW ROLL TO AN EXPIRING WEB, A FLOATING ROLLER OPERATED WEB TENSION CONTROL, AND BELTS CONTROLLED THEREBY AND ENGAGING THE ROLL IN RUNNING POSITION FOR TENSIONING THE WEB: A WEB ROLL CORE TENSION MECHANISM COMPRISING ELECTRO-MAGNETIC BRAKE MEANS OPERATING ON A ROLL CORE, THE SAID BRAKE MEANS COMPRISING A CORE AND ARMATURE AND COOPERATING BRAKING ELEMENTS ASSOCIATED THEREWITH FOR APPLYING BRAKING TORQUE PROPORTIONAL TO THE ENERGIZING CURRENT IN THE CORE WINDING, SWITCHES OPERABLE BY THE FLOATING ROLLER UPON PREDETERMINED MOVEMENT IN EITHER DIRECTION FROM A PREDETERMINED POSITION CORRESPONDING TO DESIRED WEB TENSION, A VARIABLE VOLTAGE SUPPLY FOR THE SAID CORE WINDING AND MEANS CONTROLLED BY THE SAID SWITCHES FOR OPERATING THE SAID VARIABLE VOLTAGE SUPPLY. 